Sealing apparatus



IQ KEESING, In. SEALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, I921.

Patented May 23,1922.

lsAi'xc KEEsme .Tumor.

INVENTOR; By C satires salaries SEALING APPARATUS.

per 6,836.

Application filed April 6, 1921.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ill-lay Serial No. 459,208.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIGNS OF THE ACT 0F MERGE 3, 1921, -11 STAT. L,1313.)

To all whom it may comer r Be it known that I, IsAi'io linnsnvo, Junior,a subject of the Queen of the Netherlands, residing at Amsterdam, in theProvince of Northllolland, in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to SealingApparatus, (for which I have filed application in Holland March 28,1919, and obtained Letters Patent in Holland No. 5,370, granted October15, 1920,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is an improved sealing apparatus,wherewith letters, parcels and the like may be neatly sealed in a verysimple and effective manner, with out producing the well knowndisagreeable smell, and without spilling the sealing-wax, the risk ofsetting the paper on fire being totally obviated.

Sealing apparatus of the type to which the present invention relates,consist of a box containing the sealing-wax, said box having a spout andmeans for heating said spout, which in inoperated position of theapparatus is directed upwards.

According to the invention said spout is separated from the boxcontaining the sealing-wax by means of heat-insulating partition, anaperture being made therein in such a way that the granular sealing-wax.in the operative position of the apparatus is allowed to pass into thespout, in the inoperative position of the apparatus the melted waxstayed behind in the spout, however being prevented from flowing backinto the box.

In order that my invention may be fully understood it is hereinafterfurther described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which 1is a cylindrical metal box at a suitable distance surrounded by a metalprotecting shell 2. The sealingwax may be poured into the box through atunnel-shaped opening 3, adapted to be closed by a stopper 4. The wholeis supported by feet 5, by means of which the apparatus in the positionshown in the drawing (the inoperative position) be placed upon the desk.At one end the box is pro vided with a hollow handle 6, through whichelectric conductors 7 for the electric heating elements may be let intothe apparatus. The closing and breaking or the circuit may be effectedin a very simple manner. by means of a push button switch 8. A. theopposite end a plate 5) of non-conduct ing material is provided havingtwo apertures 10 and 11, the former serving tor in terconnecting theinner space of the box and the spout. the latter to let pass theconductors 7. The spout 12 is tapered and in the inoperative position isdirected u jnvards, so that the sealing wax is prevented from flowingout. At a suitable distance the spout 12 is surrounded by a conicalsleeve 13, whilst the enclosed space taken up by the electric heatingelements 141 which in a well known manner consist of a combination ofasbestos and new silver wire.

The opening 10 in the plate 9 is provided at such a height that theupper edge of said opening and that of the box (in operative position ofthe apparatus) are in line. The conductors 7 may consist ot a cordlinewith plugs, not shown in the drawing.

The working of the apparatus is as tollows:

The box 1 is filled with the sealing-wax in a subdivided statepreferably in the form 01 grain, whereupon the opening 3 is closed bymeans of the stopper 4..

For sealing one or more letters one takes up the apparatus at the handle(5, closes the circuit by pushing the button S and turns the apparatusthrough an angle of 180 about it longitudinal axis. The grains of waxthereby fall through the aperture 10, which with respect to the grainsis of suiticient width into the spout 12, the latter at the outer endbeing so narrow that the grains are arrested at a suitable distance fromthe end. The spout 12 is soon heated by the heating elements 14 to sucha degree, that the sealing wax melts and flows out of the spout in theform a thin jet. to where it is desired. The protection of theinsulating sleeve 13 and the heat-capacity of the heating elements causethe sealing wax, even after the button is released and the circuit isbroken, to keep flowing out for some time, so that the speed oi flowingand the degree 01" thickness to some extent may be regulated by pushingand releasing the button 8. Then the sealing is done the button 8 isdefinitively released and the apparatus returned into its inoperativeposition. The melted wax stayed behind in the spout thereby flows intothe baglike space 15 of the spout, but is prevented from flowing backinto the box 1 by the plate 9. This is necessary, while otherwise theapparatus would rapidly become stopped.

The sealing wax accumulates in the space 15 forming acake therein, whichwhen the apparatus is again put in action, gradually melts off but willnever choke the connection between the box and the spout. The insulatingplate 9 has for its further object to prevent the it'ore-part of the boxfrom becoming too hot since otherwise the grains oi? wax containedtherein would stick and become unable to pass through the aperture 10.

The advantages obtained by the improved sealing apparatus art in shortthe tollowing:

The risk of setting the paper of the letter or parcel on lire, as existswhen sealing in the ordinary way, is totally obviated, it is impossibleto burn ones hand or the table; spots deriving from the sealing wax onthe desk can easily be obviated; the apparatus works totally scentless,so that no hindrance is experienced from the smell of burning wax,candle smoke or the like; candles and matches oi? course are done with:the consumption. oi? wax is considerably smaller than in the ordinaryway of sealing, since in the first place also the smallest particle oiwax may be used, whilst thequantity oi wax, which in the ordinary way byburning and dripping wax is wasted, now saved; the handling of theapparatus is considerably simplified, as no candles have to be lightedand extinquished, the piece of wax has not constantly to be moved to andfrom the flame and the paper.

But also with respect to the known apparatus of this kind, the inventionpresents considerable advantages. As only the spout is heated, thequantity of wax, which has to be melted before the apparatus can be usedis exceedingly small whilst the main quantity of wax is hardly heated.in the case of the known apparatus referred to, the total quantity ofwax has first to be melted. which especially when only few letters haveto be sealed, means a considerable loss of time and current.

Experiments taken with the apparatus according to the invention haveshown, that with a totally cold apparatus a few seconds after thecircuit was closed, a stream of melted wax was delivered, so that usingthe apparatus means saving time.

The embodiment shown is only an example of carrying the invention intoefl'ect, which oi'course is not limited to this especial form since itmay be varied in detail without departing from the scope of theappending claim.

What I claim is:

An improved sealing apparatus having a box containing the sealing Wax, aspout and means for heating said spout, the latter in the inoperativeposition of the apparatus being directed upwards; characterized in thatthe spout is separated from the box by means of a heat-insulatingpartition having an aperture made therein in such a way, that thegranular wax in the operative position of the apparatus is allowed topass from the box into the spout, the melted wax stayed behind in. thespout in the inoperative position of the apparatus however beingprevented from flowing back into the box.

in witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC KEESING, JUNIOR.

Witnesses H. Y. Knrrnns, Y. G. LANGENDYK.

